By Yakubu Uba
Information is power and the power of adequate information for the rapid transformation of any nation cannot be over-emphasised. That’s the more reason that a developing nation like Nigeria at this critical time needs to properly fund its information sector.
It was good news for many when members of both chambers of the National Assembly (NASS) committees on Information and National Orientation rejected the N8.9 billion budgetary allocation to the ministry as inadequate during the budget defence.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who recommended an increase from the N8.9 billion to N1.5 trillion for the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, said that’s the only way to enable the critical ministry effectively deliver on its mandate.
She observed that budgeting about N8.9 billion for the ministry in Nigeria with the population of over 200 million people is a child’s play.
“That amount is too low. The scope of the ministry has gone beyond information, there is the addition of national orientation. The scope should also cover the reorientation of the mindset of Nigerians.
“South Africa’s budget in 2024 for their ministry similar to that of Information and National Orientation in Nigeria was R5.1 billion, equivalent to N409 billion.
“If South Africa is budgeting N409 billion for a population of about 50 million, Nigeria with over 200 million people should be budgeting about N1.5 trillion for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, if we are really serious.
“It is worrisome that a young Nigerian today feels that the easiest way to make money is through rituals or ‘Yahoo’, as they call it, Senator Natasha observed while pointing out the relevance of information and news in shaping the minds of the people.
“There is need to review the budget of the ministry upwards because budgeting below N9 billion to reorient our people is too poor.
“We are handling one crisis to the other; if it is not religion, it is ethnic. Even gender; we have only four women in the Senate. So, we need to boost the minds of young people to be patriotic and believe in Nigeria,” she reiterated.
“So, I think the ministry should be given more time to review the budget upwards and incorporate more and new projects, taking into consideration the young people,” she said.
Senator Abdul Ningi, who lauded the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, for the effective management of public information, said the ministry deserves higher budgetary allocation.
“Three agencies under a ministry came to defend their budgets and each of them had not less than N20 billion, but look at a whole Ministry of Information and National Orientation is getting N8.9 billion. This is shameful.
“If you know what the government pays to other private media organisations where analysts go to blame the government, you will be surprised.
“The government-owned media organisations are sidelined,” Ningi lamented while stressing the need for the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the need to address the issue of inadequate funding of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Ningi acknowledged the laudable efforts of the ministry and its agencies, but expressed regret that they are not getting the required funding to deliver on their mandates.
“We need to do this because we must build government’s institutions so that they can compete favourably in the media space.
“If I am a minister of information and national orientation, and you give me N8 billion as a budget, no one will see me because after paying overhead costs and recurrents, how much will remain for me to execute other important assignments?” he asked.
He emphasised that a democratic government cannot succeed without information, saying that the instrumentality of the information ministry to the success of democracy in Nigeria cannot be downplayed.
The same reactions followed the meagre allocation of N8.9 billion allocated to the ministry by same committee at the lower chamber which attracted commendation from stakeholders in the information sector.
One of the stakeholders, a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Adamawa state, Ahmad Sajoh, expressed support for the clamour for proper funding of the sector by the National Assembly.
Sajoh observed that adequate funding of the information ministry and its agencies had become imperative, as the stability of the country is dependent on a socially-active citizenry.
According to him, the observations and recommendations by members of the National Assembly were apt at this critical time and in line with national interest.
“It is indeed imperative that the ministry needs to be adequately funded because the stability of the country is dependent on a socially-active citizenry.
“This can only be achieved with effective mobilisation and information sharing. That’s the role of the ministry of information and national orientation. For example, in our fight to restore security in Nigeria, we need both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to the fight.
“While the Ministry of Defence leads the kinetic approach, it is the Ministry of Information and National Orientation orientation that should lead the non-kinetic approach.
“In essence, the ministry is as important as that of defence that took the lion’s share of the budget. In addition, modern communication gadgets are as expensive as modern warfare gadgets,” Sajoh said.
While noting the core issues raised by NASS regarding the under-funding of the ministry and its agencies over the years, Sajoh lauded the resilience they had exhibited in making impacts with the meager resources at their disposal.
He said that it was a miracle that successes are recorded with such meagre allocation to the ministry and its agencies with a huge role in constructing a stable country.
“The agencies under the ministry have improved their performances beyond imagination despite the paucity of resources.
“The News Agency of Nigeria today competes favourably with similar agencies all over the world. NTA, FRCN and VON are equal in stature with most broadcast networks in the country and beyond.
“The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has also established a number of online portals that are providing one-stop shops for understanding government’s policies and programmes,” he said.
It’s high time the ministry and its agencies are adequately funded to stop depending on miracles for maximum results.
Yakubu Uba is a Public Affairs Analyst.
